TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Japan's foreign minister said Tuesday he would visit Iran next month, in the latest sign of Tehran's rapidly thawing relationship with the Western world.

Fumio Kishida said he plans a three-day trip from November 9, the day after Iranian negotiators wrap up talks with world powers in Geneva over the country's nuclear programme, AFP reported.

Tokyo, which is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern oil, has maintained friendly relations with Tehran, keeping up a diplomatic two-way that many developed countries cut off decades ago.

Since President Hassan Rouhani took office in August hopes have been raised of an end to disputes over the country's nuclear program, especially after a round of hectic diplomacy during the UN General Assembly in September.

That set up a series of meetings, including one in Geneva next month of the so-called P5+1 -- the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia plus Germany -- with hopes high of a breakthrough.